When Veronica Pellegrino was a nurse on an orthopedic unit at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, she spent her days opening up to 100 to 150 medication packets per shift "constantly using that repetitive motion over and over again," she says.
"It breaks our nails, causes arthritis, and causes carpal tunnel syndrome.
I began thinking about ways to make this process easier and quicker."
Now, after winning funding competitions such as the UCLA Health Innovation Challenge, Pellegrino plans to launch her new device, Popsy, later this year or in early 2025, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The idea for Popsy came to Pellegrino after a day at work when she had an acrylic, sharp nail.
"I was able to quickly open and dispense the pills," she says.
"It makes the process of opening and dispensing pills much more efficient."
A survey of more than 500 nurses at UCLA Health found 86% said they'd never used a device to open and dispense pills, and 93% said they'd use one if they had one.
Researchers say Popsy is up to 85% faster and more effective than current methods of opening and dispensing pills, including scissors, pens, and our own fingernails.
Researchers say it's also less likely to cause injuries at the bedside
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